Adaptive difficulty in a multiplayer gaming environment

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, system and computer program product for adapting game difficulty through dynamic map generation in a multi-player gaming environment. In an embodiment of the invention, a method for adapting game difficulty through dynamic map generation in a multi-player gaming environment is provided. The method includes creating in memory of a computer a multi-player gaming environment. The method also includes identifying a player in the multi-player gaming environment, looking up performance data of the identified player and correlating the performance data of the identified player with a feature of the multi-player gaming environment. Finally, the method includes modifying the multi-player gaming environment to account for the correlated feature.

We claim: 
     
       1. A method for adapting game difficulty through dynamic map generation in a multi-player gaming environment, the method comprising:
 creating in memory of a computer a multi-player gaming environment; 
 dynamically generating portions of the multi-player gaming environment for individual ones of players relevant to a current position of the individual ones of the players in the multi-player gaming environment; 
 identifying a player in the multi-player gaming environment; 
 looking up performance data of the identified player and correlating the performance data of the identified player with a feature of a portion of a game map of the multi-player gaming environment relevant to a current position of the identified player; and, 
 modifying the portion of the game map of the multi-player gaming environment in response to the correlated performance data. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the performance data comprises an instance when the identified player is defeated in the multi-player gaming environment. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the performance data comprises an instance when the identified player is eliminated from playing in the multi-player gaming environment. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the feature is a topographical feature of a dynamically generated map for the multi-player gaming environment. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the feature is a geographical feature of a dynamically generated map for the multi-player gaming environment. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the multi-player gaming environment is modified by removing the correlated feature from the multi-player gaming environment. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the multi-player gaming environment is modified by weighting the correlated feature to reduce but not eliminate a presence of the feature from the multi-player gaming environment. 
     
     
       8. A multi-player gaming data processing system comprising:
 a host computer with memory and at least one processor; 
 a game server executing in the memory of the host computer and providing a multi-player gaming environment for different players accessible over a computer communications network, wherein portions of the multi-player gaming environment are dynamically generated for individual ones of the players relevant to a current position of the individual ones of the players in the multi-player gaming environment; and, 
 a game difficulty adaptation module coupled to the game server, the module comprising program code enabled to identify a player in the multi-player gaming environment, to look up performance data of the identified player and correlate the performance data of the identified player with a feature of a portion of a game map of the multi-player gaming environment relevant to a current position of the identified player, and to modify the portion of the game map of the multi-player gaming environment in response to the correlated performance data. 
 
     
     
       9. The system of  claim 8 , wherein the performance data comprises an instance when the identified player is defeated in the multi-player gaming environment. 
     
     
       10. The system of  claim 8 , wherein the performance data comprises an instance when the identified player is eliminating from playing in the multi-player gaming environment. 
     
     
       11. The system of  claim 8 , wherein the feature is a feature of a dynamically generated map for the multi-player gaming environment. 
     
     
       12. The system of  claim 8 , wherein the multi-player gaming environment is modified by removing the correlated feature from the multi-player gaming environment. 
     
     
       13. The system of  claim 8 , wherein the multi-player gaming environment is modified by weighting the correlated feature to reduce but not eliminate a presence of the feature from the multi-player gaming environment. 
     
     
       14. A computer program product for adapting game difficulty through dynamic map generation in a multi-player gaming environment, the computer program product comprising:
 a computer readable storage memory having computer readable program code embodied therewith, the computer readable program code comprising: 
 computer readable program code for creating in memory of a computer a multi-player gaming environment; 
 computer readable program code for dynamically generating portions of the multi-player gaming environment for individual ones of players relevant to a current position of the individual ones of the players in the multi-player gaming environment; 
 computer readable program code for identifying a player in the multi-player gaming environment; 
 computer readable program code for looking up performance data of the identified player and correlating the performance data of the identified player with a feature of a portion of a game map of the multi-player gaming environment relevant to a current position of the identified player; and, 
 computer readable program code for modifying the portion of the game map of the multi-player gaming environment in response to the correlated performance data. 
 
     
     
       15. The computer program product of  claim 14 , wherein the performance data comprises an instance when the identified player is defeated in the multi-player gaming environment. 
     
     
       16. The computer program product of  claim 14 , wherein the performance data comprises an instance when the identified player is eliminating from playing in the multi-player gaming environment. 
     
     
       17. The computer program product of  claim 14 , wherein the feature is a topographical feature of a dynamically generated map for the multi-player gaming environment. 
     
     
       18. The computer program product of  claim 14 , wherein the feature is a geographical feature of a dynamically generated map for the multi-player gaming environment. 
     
     
       19. The computer program product of  claim 14 , wherein the multi-player gaming environment is modified by removing the correlated feature from the multi-player gaming environment. 
     
     
       20. The computer program product of  claim 14 , wherein the multi-player gaming environment is modified by weighting the correlated feature to reduce but not eliminate a presence of the feature from the multi-player gaming environment.